Psychology Around the Net: March 2, 2019

This week’s Psychology Around the Net covers the latest on green spaces and mental health in children, our complex relationships with money, why we’re drawn to conspiracy theories, and more.

Enjoy!

Does Exposure to Green Spaces in Childhood Lead to Better Mental Health? While growing up in urban areas provides a lot of advantages for kids such as easier access to healthcare, education, and amenities, it also could provide some disadvantages — especially in the form of mental health perks, or lack thereof. According to a new study, children who grow up in cities with limited access to green spaces could have up to a 55% greater risk of developing mental health conditions.

How to Say No to Meeting Up With an Acquaintance: Bumping into an acquaintance or an old friend can be fun — right up until they want to make plans to get together and you honestly just don’t have the time or energy (hey, as adults we tend to have a lot on our plates and have to learn how to prioritize) or, quite frankly, the interest (there’s a reason this person is just an acquaintance or hasn’t remained active in your life, after all). Guess what? You don’t have to feel guilty about not wanting to make time for a relationship you aren’t all that invested in, and here are several ways you can gracefully decline without making anyone uncomfortable.

Psychology and the Allure of Conspiracy Theories: While conspiracy theories are nothing new, they might hold a bit more power today thanks to our ability to use the internet to communicate them, discuss them, and expand on them. Because of that power, it’s important to understand why so many of us get wrapped up in conspiracy theories and maybe learn how to determine when we’re grasping at a coping mechanism (as some professionals have labeled comping mechanisms) and when we genuinely believe something’s just doesn’t add up.

Smoking and Alcohol: Double Trouble for the Brain? Among the many harmful health consequences that come along with smoking tobacco, such as cancer, emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), smoking tobacco also can cause brain problems such as inflammation, chemical changes, and oxidative stress. Did you know that excessive alcohol use can cause the same types of brain health issues? Furthermore, did you know that smoking tobacco and abusing alcohol can increase those types of brain damages?

Psychology Around the Net: March 2, 2019

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Alicia Sparks

Alicia Sparks is a freelance writer and editor and the creator of WritingSpark.com, where she blogs to help new freelance writers get their quills in the pot, so to speak. Among animal rights, music, and physical wellness, her passions include mental health and advocacy. Here at Psych Central she works as Syndication Editor as well as authors Your Body, Your Mind and World of Psychology's weekly "Psychology Around the Net."